US3847692A - Method and apparatus for making pile fabrics from a block of pile yarns - Google Patents

Method and apparatus for making pile fabrics from a block of pile yarns Download PDF

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Publication number
US3847692A
US3847692A US00363832A US36383273A US3847692A US 3847692 A US3847692 A US 3847692A US 00363832 A US00363832 A US 00363832A US 36383273 A US36383273 A US 36383273A US 3847692 A US3847692 A US 3847692A
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Prior art keywords
backing
pile
container
pile yarns
severing
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US00363832A
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English (en)
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E Bondi
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FIELD CREST CANNON Inc
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Fieldcrest Mills Inc
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Assigned to FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF BOSTON THE reassignment FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF BOSTON THE SECURITY INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: FIELDCREST MILLS, INC., A CORP OF DE.
Assigned to FIELD CREST CANNON, INC. reassignment FIELD CREST CANNON, INC. MERGER (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: CANNON MILLS COMPANY, A NC CORP. (INTO), FIELDCREST MILLS, INC., A DE. CORP.
Assigned to FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF BOSTON, THE reassignment FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF BOSTON, THE SECURITY INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: FIELDCREST CANNON, INC., A CORP. OF DE
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Assigned to FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF BOSTON, THE reassignment FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF BOSTON, THE SECURITY INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: FIELDCREST CANNON, INC., A CORP. OF DE
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    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D03—WEAVING
    • D03C—SHEDDING MECHANISMS; PATTERN CARDS OR CHAINS; PUNCHING OF CARDS; DESIGNING PATTERNS
    • D03C3/00—Jacquards
    • D03C3/20—Electrically-operated jacquards
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D03—WEAVING
    • D03C—SHEDDING MECHANISMS; PATTERN CARDS OR CHAINS; PUNCHING OF CARDS; DESIGNING PATTERNS
    • D03C19/00—Methods or devices concerned with designing or making patterns, not provided for in other groups of this subclass
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D03—WEAVING
    • D03J—AUXILIARY WEAVING APPARATUS; WEAVERS' TOOLS; SHUTTLES
    • D03J1/00—Auxiliary apparatus combined with or associated with looms
    • D03J1/008—Cooling systems
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
    • D04H—MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING ; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION
    • D04H11/00—Non-woven pile fabrics
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06H—MARKING, INSPECTING, SEAMING OR SEVERING TEXTILE MATERIALS
    • D06H1/00—Marking textile materials; Marking in combination with metering or inspecting
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T156/00—Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
    • Y10T156/10—Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
    • Y10T156/1002—Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor with permanent bending or reshaping or surface deformation of self sustaining lamina
    • Y10T156/1007—Running or continuous length work
    • Y10T156/1015—Folding
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T156/00—Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
    • Y10T156/10—Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
    • Y10T156/1002—Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor with permanent bending or reshaping or surface deformation of self sustaining lamina
    • Y10T156/1043—Subsequent to assembly
    • Y10T156/1049—Folding only
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T156/00—Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
    • Y10T156/10—Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
    • Y10T156/1002—Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor with permanent bending or reshaping or surface deformation of self sustaining lamina
    • Y10T156/1051—Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor with permanent bending or reshaping or surface deformation of self sustaining lamina by folding
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T156/00—Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
    • Y10T156/10—Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
    • Y10T156/1052—Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor with cutting, punching, tearing or severing
    • Y10T156/1054—Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor with cutting, punching, tearing or severing and simultaneously bonding [e.g., cut-seaming]
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T156/00—Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
    • Y10T156/12—Surface bonding means and/or assembly means with cutting, punching, piercing, severing or tearing
    • Y10T156/1317—Means feeding plural workpieces to be joined

Definitions

  • a patterned block of pile yarns is formed by weaving a plurality of weftwise pile yarns of different colors in a predetermined patterned order and then forming a compact stack of layers of the woven fabric by moving the same back and forth and folding the same along identifying weft yarns previously woven into the fabric.
  • the compact stack of folded fabric is then enclosed in an open-ended container to form a confined block of pile yarns with the ends of the pile yarns exposed and forming a composite pattern at an open end of the container.
  • the container then is positioned on a suitable carriage equipped with means for incrementally feeding the block of pile yarns from the open end of the container in successive increments of an amount in accordance with the desired length of pile and also mounted so as to move the container forwardly in a predetermined path transversely of the pile yarn axes while moving the container into cooperating relation with a severing means.
  • the severing means is arranged to progressively sever the ends of the pile yarns during forward movement of the container so as to form tufts of the pile yarns.
  • the apparatus also is provided with means for advancing an adhesive-coated backing forwardly past and adjacent the severing means and the pile yarn block during the severing of the pile yarns so that the tufts being formed are progressively deposited onto the backing and joined thereto during the severing of the pile yarns.
  • FIG. 1 is a block diagram briefly setting forth steps according to the method of the present invention
  • FIG. 2 is a schematic perpsective view of a loom for weaving a fabric of selected weftwise pile yarns used for forming the patterned yarn block of which the improved pile fabric is formed;
  • FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view, with portions broken away, showing a preferred form of fabric layering apparatus for forming a cake or stack of superposed fabric layers constituting the patterned block of pile yarns employed in forming the pile fabric;
  • FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of a completed patterned block of pile yarns produced according to the present invention and wherein the layered stack of weftwise pile yarns is positioned in an open-ended container with corresponding ends of the pile yarns exposed so that they may be severed from the pile yarn block to form pile tufts therefrom;
  • FIG. 5 is a schematic partially exploded view of an upper portion of the stack of superposed fabric layers shown in FIG. 3, for the purpose of illustrating various bands of contrasting or different colors or kinds of weftwise pile yarns in the fabric and also illustrating how the fabric layers may be impaled on restraining pins to ensure proper alignment of the successive layers in the stack being formed;
  • FIG. 6 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary view of the area 6 of FIG. 5, showing a portion of one of the layers of fabric adjacent one side edge thereof;
  • FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view substantially through the central longitudinal plane of the apparatus shown in FIG. 3, but showing the position of a supporting work-table when starting the formation of a stack of superposed pile yarn fabric layers thereupon;
  • FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating suitable mechanism for imparting reciprocatory motion to the roll of pile yarn fabric in the upper portion of FIG. 7;
  • FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view of the apparatus for progressively severing the pile yarns in the pile yarn block transversely of their axes while progressively depositing the severed pile yarns or tufts onto an advancing adhesive-coated backing to connect the severed pile yarns thereto;
  • FIGS. 10 and 10A are, collectively, a somewhat schematic longitudinal vertical sectional view through the apparatus shown in FIG. 9, but illustrating additional elements not shown in FIG. 9;
  • FIG. 11 is an enlarged schematic fragmentary elevation similar to the right-hand portion of FIG. 10, but showing the pile yarn block container in a different position from that shown in FIG. 10 to illustrate how the exposed lower ends of the pile yarns in the container are severed from the pile yarn block and deposited as cut pile tufts on the backing to form a pile fabric;
  • FIG. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view similar to the central portion of FIG. 1 1, but showing more in detail how the pile tufts are progressively severed from the block of pile yarns and deposited on the backing to form the pile fabric thereform;
  • FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of a suitable electrical circuit for controlling the operation of the pile fabric manufacturing apparatus shown in FIGS. 912;
  • FIG. 14 is a detail of some of the drive mechanism for imparting a stepwise forward movement to the backing in the course of each forward movement of the container;
  • FIG. 15 is a schematic view of a modified form of pile fabric manufacturing apparatus and is similar to FIG. 11, but shows means for heat-fusing the lower ends of the pile yarns during forward movement of the container and before the container reaches the severing means;
  • FIGS. 16 and 17 are fragmentary views of typical pile fabrics which may be produced with the apparatus arranged as in FIG. 15.
  • the essential steps involved in making pile fabrics in accordance with the present invention comprise weaving a fabric of selected weftwise pile yarns, and then layering the woven fabric in layers of substantially equal warpwise length to form a compact stack of fabric layers with the ends of the weft yarns therein forming a preliminary pile pattern.
  • the thus formed stack of layered fabric then is enclosed in an open-ended container to form a confined block of pile yarn with the ends of the pile yarns exposed.
  • the block of pile yarns then is positioned with the exposed pile yarn ends facing downwardly above an adhesive-coated substrate or backing and the pile yarn block is fed from the container in a stepwise manner in successive increments of an amount equal to the desired length of the pile.
  • adhesive material also may be applied to the pile yarn ends extending fron the container.
  • a length of pile yarns is severed from the pile yarn block following each incremental feeding of the pile yarns from the container and the severed lengths of pile yarns or tufts are progressively deposited onto a substrate or backing during the severing operation.
  • FIGS. 1-8 The preferred embodiment of the methods and apparatus for forming the compact block of pile yarns is illustrated in FIGS. 1-8, many details of which will not be described herein, since the structure there shown is fully described in said copending application Ser. No. 316,740, filed Dec. 20, 1972, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
  • the pile yarn fabric is woven on a suitable loom which may be of any desired conventional or other type and is preferably in the form of a shuttleless loom equipped with conventional or other suitable means for controlling the harnesses or heddles 21 thereof and also equipped with a suitable weft selector means 23.
  • Weft selector means 23 is pattern controlled, as by a pattern device or pattern control means 24, for selectively introducing predetermined pile yarns 25, one at a time, to a weft inserting means 26 to be inserted in the warp shed prior to each beat-up of a reed 27.
  • the weft selector means 23 may be of the type disclosed in said last-mentioned copending application, wherein the weft selector means 23 is equipped with suitable selector fingers, not shown, which are moved into an active position, one at a time, for guiding respective weft yarns to the weft inserting means 26.
  • the weft selector means 23 not only selects the main weft yarns 25, but is also selects a separate identifying weft yarn 25a to be later described.
  • the pattern control means 24 controls the weft selector means 23 so as to select pile yarns 25 of relatively different color or other appearances and to present them to the weft inserting means 26 which thus arranges the pile yarns in parallel juxtaposition according to a predetermined pattern during weaving of the fabric 20.
  • binder warp yarns 30 are formed from a material which is barely visible, such as continuous monofilament nylon strands of about 15 to 20 de nier, with the harnesses 21 being so controlled as to effect a shed change following each beat-up of reed 27.
  • the pile yarn fabric 20 may be woven any convenient width, e.g., about 8 feet to 12 feet wide, in accordance with the number of lenths of pile fabric to be produced from the subsequently layered fabric 20. It is preferred that, in such a fabric, the relatively fine binder warp yarns 30 are spaced approximately 4 inch to /2 inch apart from each other across the width of the fabric to aid in maintaining the patterned relationship of the weftwise pile yarns 25 during formation of the patterned block of pile yarns. It is preferred that the binder warp yarns 30 are removed from the final pile fabric F (FIG. 9) in making a high quality pile fabric.
  • the binder warp yarns 30 might not be removed from the final pile fabric F, it being noted that the binder warp yarns are practically invisible when formed of small monofilaments, which monofilaments are severed or mutilated into short length segments when pile tufts are severed from the patterned block of pile yarns.
  • At least one visually distinct side edge identifying warp yarn 30a which is of contrasting appearance
  • the identifying warp yarns 30a, 30b are formed largely as floats (FIGS. 5 and 6) and thereby form a float weave throughout the length of the fabric 20. All of the identifying warp yarns 30a, 30b pass through the fabric from one side to the other, and vice versa, at a common respective weftwise pile yarn or 25a in each instance.
  • the floats formed of the identifying warp yarns a, 30b may be of any desired length which is readily visible to operators during the forming of the fabric into layers as will be later explained.
  • each identifying warp yarn 30a, 30b may be floated over 7 or 8 weftwise pile yarns 25 and then may be floated beneath 7 or 8 pile yarns 25, this procedure being repeated throughout the length of the fabric as illustrated, for example, in FIG. 6.
  • the identifying weft yarn 25a also may be a pile yarn similar to pile yarns 25, but should be of a different color than pile yarns 25, or it should be otherwise visually distinct from pile yarns 25.
  • all of the layers L (FIGS. 3 and 5) of the woven pile yarn fabric 20 employed in forming a given block of patterned pile yarns are in predetermined alignment with each other so as to provide a clear definition of the design areas in the pile pattern to be formed, it is preferred that all of the fabric layers are of substantially the same warpwise length. Accordingly, during the weaving of fabric 20 on the loom shown in FIG. 2, the fabric is formed into successive warpwise interconnected sections of substantially uniform length by inserting at each of a plurality of substantially uniformly spaced locations in the fabric 20 at least one, or a group of, the identifying weft yarns 25a.
  • the fabric 20 has weftwise indentifying yarns 25a at spaced locations along its length with the identifying weft yarns 25a being arranged in groups of three in this instance.
  • the center of each group of three identifying weft yarns 25a is positioned a substantially uniform distance from the center of the next adjacent group of identifying weft yarns 25a, and they define therebetween a corresponding fabric section which constitutes a layer L of the fabric when it is folded into a compact cake or stack 20b (FIGS. 3, 4 and 5) of successive superposed layers in a manner to be later described.
  • each band a, c, e and g may be formed from brown colored pile yarns, with each band b, d, f being formed from red colored pile yarns as indicated by comparing the exemplary composite pattern shown in FIG. 4 with the portions of the pattern shown in FIG. 5.
  • the groups of identifying weft yarns 25a define foldlines extending parallel with the weftwise pile yarns along which the fabric 20 is folded as it is moved back and forth to form the stack 20b of superposed layers L of the respective sections of the fabric and with the ends of the pile yarns in the layers L collectively forming a composite pattern of pile yarns 25 of relatively different colors or other appearances.
  • the folding of the pile yarn fabric 20 may be effected, and alignment of the successivelayers L may be effectively obtained, utilizing a layering apparatus substantially of the type illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4, 7 and 8.
  • a layering apparatus substantially of the type illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4, 7 and 8.
  • the fabric 12 may be woven about 3 to 12 feet wide and each warpwise layer L thereof may be 9 to 12 feet long. The latter warpwise dimension determines the width of the carpet or other pile fabric to be formed from the stack 20b.
  • the layering apparatus generally comprises an operators elevated platform having an opening 41 therethrough to accommodate a vertically movable, preferably substantially rectangular, worktable 50.
  • Worktable 50 should be of such size as to properly support thereupon a supporting panel 42 which is preferably of about the same width as the weft of each fabric layer, but which should be of slightly greater length than the warpwise length of each fabric layer L, since panel ,42 later serves as one side wall of a container broadly designated at 60 in FIGS. 4, 9, 10, 11 and 12.
  • Worktable 40' is supported on a plurality of vertically adjustable posts which may be in the form of upright screws 43 (FIGS. 3 and 7). Screws 43 may be adjusted by suitable connections with a hand-crank 45 conveniently mounted on one of the guard rail posts of platform 40 so as to be within easy reach of a workman standing on platform 40.
  • the level of worktable may be'varied relative to platform 40 by suitable manipulation of hand-crank 45 so that the table 50 and any layers of fabric thereon may be positioned on a level convenient to workmen on platform 40 and may be adjusted from time to time during the layering of the fabric.
  • the fabric 20 may be wound onto an arbor or roll 65 as it is taken up on the loom of FIG. 2 to form a roll 20c of the woven fabric 20.
  • Roll 20c is removed from the loom and mounted on a suitable reciprocable overhead carriage 70 (FIGS. 3, 7 and 8) movable along a pair of laterally spaced tracks 71 by suitable connections with an electrically operable drive means embodied in an electric motor 72 in FIGS. 3 and 7.
  • Tracks 71 extend substantially horizontally and are spaced a substantial distance above the platform 40 and may be supported, as shown, upon the same framework which supports platform 40.
  • Carriage 70 includes opposite end plates 73 having rollers 74 on their upper portions on which the arbor 65 is supported.
  • the lower portions of end plates 73 have opposite ends of a pair of parallel guide rolls or nip rolls 75 journaled thereon which are suitably driven so that the left-hand guide roll 75 in FIGS. 7 and 8 will be driven in a clockwise direction whenever carriage 70 moves from left to right while the right-hand guide roll 75 idles for drawing fabric 20 from the roll 200 between the guide rolls 75.
  • the right-hand guide roll 75 is driven in a counterclockwise direction for feeding fabric 20 to the worktable 50 as the lefthand guide roll 75 idles during movement of carriage 70 from right to left in FIG. 7.
  • electric motor 72 may be controlled by a suitable manually operable reversing switch 76-(FIG. 7) interposed in an electrical circuit to motor 72 and positioned within convenient reach of a workman on platform 40.
  • FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 four substantially horizontal rows of perimetrical or outer substantially upright retaining rods or pins 80-83 are associated with worktable 50.
  • the longitudinal or warpwise rows of pins 80, 81 are spaced from each other a distance slightly less than the width of the woven fabric 20 and a distance about equal to the distance between the side edge identifying warp yarns 30a in FIGS. and 6.
  • transverse or weftwise rows of retaining rods 82, 83 extend between the opposite ends of the rows 80, 81 and may be spaced from each other a distance slightly less than that between the identifying weft yarns 25a.
  • One or more intermediate transverse or weftwise rows of substantially upright retaining rods or pins are provided which extend parallel to the outer end rows of pins 82, 83 and are disposed between the outer longitudinal rows 80, 81.
  • two intermediate rows of retaining rods 84, 85 are shown in FIG. 5 to aid in maintaining corresponding intermediate weftwise pile yarns 25 of each fabric layer in a substantially straight condition during the layering operations. This aids in preventing the occurrence of skew or bow in the woven fabric layers.
  • pins 8085 are suitably secured in a supporting frame 86 positioned on the workroom floor.
  • pins 80-85 are of substantially the same height and project upwardly about 25 to 35 inches above the level of the elevated platform 40 so that a workman standing on platform 40 may reach well over the upper ends of the pins for manually impaling the fabric layers thereon.
  • the retaining pins 80-85 should be of a comparable height. Also, the pins should be of relatively small diameter; e.g., about 5 1 to inch in diameter. Therefore, it is preferred that a suitable guide means is provided for stabilizing the medial portions of the upright retaining rods 8085.
  • a suitable rectangular stabilizing frame 87 (FIG. 7) is suspended, as by pliable members 90, from worktable 50 and is provided with suitable holes therethrough which are spaced according to the spacing of the pins 8085 and are loosely penetrated by the pins 8085.
  • a workman may cause the carriage to move in one direction or in the opposite direction, as the case may be, to deposit each successive layer L of the fabric 20 on the supporting panel 42 then resting on table 50.
  • the operator insures that the fold is formed at the corresponding group of identifying weft yarns 25a (FIG. 5) and then the layer of fabric is impaled on the rows of retaining pins 85.
  • the retaining pins in each row may be spaced any desired distance apart, although it is preferred that they are spaced about 6 to 12 inches apart from each other and is desirable that the pins in the transverse rows 82-85 are spaced from each other a distance about equal to the distance between the several identifying warp yarns 30a, 3011.
  • the operator then may use the identifying warp yarns 30a, 30b as a visual reference in determining the point at which the pins in rows 80-85 are to penetrate each successive layer of the fabric 20.
  • the two intermediate transverse rows of pins 84 should be spaced such distance from the endmost transverse rows of pins 82, 83 that the successive layers L of the fabric 20 will be in proper alignment with each other when the pins in rows 84, 85 penetrate the fabric layers along weftwise pile yarns adjacent the point at which identifying warp yarns 30a, 30b penetrate the fabric between adjacent weftwise pile yarns 25.
  • a pressure platen 100 is suitably suspended from a carriage 101 provided with suitable rollers 102 thereon for engaging and riding along tracks 71.
  • platen 100 may be suspended from the lower end of a piston rod 103 having a piston l04on its upper end mounted for vertical movement in a double-acting cylinder 105 carried by carriage 101.
  • Opposite ends of cylinder 105 are connected, by suitable conduits 106 and manually operable valve means 107, to a suitable driven fluid pressure pump means 110 mounted on carriage 101.
  • the operator may control motor 72 so as to move carriage 70 to the right, out of the way of carriage 101 in FIG. 7. Thereafter, carriage 101 may be moved manually or by any other suitable means, not shown, to position the same above and in vertical alignment with worktable 50.
  • the valve means 107 then is operated to move the platen 100 successively into and out of compressing engagement with the uppermost layer of fabric in the stack 20b without disturbing the alignment between the successive fabric layers. Platen 100 then is moved out of the way of carriage 70 so that additional layers of fabric 20 may be positioned upon the layers previously deposited on panel 42 then resting upon worktable 50.
  • the last layer of fabric may be severed from roll 20c, whereupon the completed compact stack or pile yarn block 201) is positioned in container 60.
  • supporting panel 42 serves as the bottom wall of the container 60.
  • opposite end panels 61, 62 are positioned against opposing sides of stack 20b at the sides thereof defined by the fold-lines or boundaries of the successive layers of fabric 20.
  • a top wall or panel 63 provided withv rows of perforations 63a-63f therethrough corresponding to the rows of pins 80-85, is positioned upon the uppermost layer of the fabric 20 forming the completed stack 20b.
  • Upper panel 63 is preferably about the same size and shape as lower panel 42 and the panels 42, 63 are secured against the lower and upper surfaces of the stack 20b by suitable fastening means shown in the form of turnbuckles 64, which firmly secure the lower and upper panels 42, 63 to the opposing end panels 61, 62 of container 60 to complete the formation of the confined patterned block of pile yarns.
  • the inner surfaces of the panel or walls 42, 61, 62, and 63 preferably are provided with a smooth polished finish so that the entire stack 20b of pile yarns may be incrementally forced outwardly from one open end of container 60.
  • Container is open-ended so that at least corresponding ends of the weftwise pile yarns in the stack 20b are exposed and so' that pile yarn tufts may be severed from stack 20b following each incremental movement thereof outwardly from container 60, as will be presently described.
  • any suitable hoisting means may-be used for lifting the container 60 off of worktable 50 and out of engagement with the retaining pins 80-85, and then positioning the container in the pile fabric manufacturing equipment boradly designated at and shown in FIGS. 9-14.
  • pile yarns forming the yarn block 20b in container 60 are in the form of carpet yarns, it is to be understood that the term pile yarns may, in certain instances, include continuous filaments or tows thereof and may also include rovings, slivers or any other material suitable for use as the pile of a pile fabric.
  • container 60 has been turned on its side so that corresponding ends of the pile yarns of the compact block 20b therein have the composite pattern thereon facing downwardly. While such arrangement is not absolutely essential to the carrying out of the method of this invention, it facilitates the slicing or severing of the pile yarns into cut pile tufts and the depositing of the same on a substrate or backing.
  • container 60 is positioned in a composite carriage broadly designated at and which comprises a main or lower substantially rectangular carriage frame 120a and an upper or auxiliary substantially rectangular carriage frame 12% which normally rests upon the lower rectangular carriage frame 1200.
  • the carriage frames 120a, 120b loosely surround a medial portion of container 60 with the upper carriage frame 120b being suitably removably secured to the walls 42, 61, 62 and 63 of container 60, but with the container 60 being free to move vertically relative to the surrounding lower carriage frame 120a.
  • container 60 and upper carriage frame 1201 may be raised and lowered relative to lower carriage frame 120a for purposes to be later described.
  • Opposite sides of lower carriage frame 120a are provided with respective pairs of rollers 121 thereon which ride along suitable substantially horizontally disposed elongate tracks 122, only one of which is shown in FIGS. 9, 10 and 11, and which are preferably in the form of channel bars.
  • Opposite ends of tracks 122 are suitably supported on the upper ends of standards or posts 124, 125.
  • Carriage 120 and container 60 with the yarn block 20b therein may be reciprocated forwardly and rearwardly along tracks 122 by a driven sprocket chain 126 whose upper reach in FIGS. 10 and 12 is suitably connected to the lower carriage frame 120a.
  • Sprocket chain 126 is mounted on sprocket wheels 126a, 126b carried by the standards 124, 125, and a carriage drive motive means or reversible electric motor 127 transmits rotation to sprocket wheel l26b through suitable sprocket and chain connections generally designated at 130.
  • motor 127, sprocket chain 126 and the driving connections between motor 127 and sprocket chain 126 serve as means for moving container 60 forwardly and rearwardly along a substantially horizontal path in alternation.
  • a severing means embodied in a stationarily mounted endless band type of cutter blade 135, is positioned closely adjacent and below the path of container 60'and is arranged to sever the lower ends of the pile yarns in block 20b projecting from the open lower end of container 60 to form pile tufts T thereof during each forward movement of container 60 past the severing means or blade 135.
  • the area adjacent cutting blade 135 also may be termed as a tuft forming zone.
  • the severing apparatus may be in the form of a conventional band saw assembly, with the endless blade 135 being mounted on a pair of pulleys 135a, 135b (FIG. 9) carried by a suitable frame 135c and one of which may be driven by an electric motor 135d (FIGS. 10 and 11).
  • means are operatively associated with the container 60 for incrementally feeding the pile yarns outwardly from the lower open end thereof in increments of an amount equal to the desired length of pile while the container occupies a position rearwardly of the severing means or. cutting blade 135.
  • the pile yarn feeding means pushes downwardly-on the entire pile yarn block b so that the block is pushed downwardly in sliding emgagement with the smooth walls of container 60 during each incremental feeding of the pile yarns in the block 20b.
  • a substantially horizontally disposed pusher plate 140 having a planar lower surface which engages the upper surface of the pile yarn block 20b and is positioned for substantially vertical movement in and relative to container 60.
  • Any suitable means may be provided for imparting incremental downward movements to pusher plate 140 in response to each rearward movement of container 60 and its carriage 120 a predetermined distance rearwardly of severing means 135.
  • a fluid operated ram 141 preferably a hydraulically operated ram, has the lower end of its piston rod 141a attached to the upper surface or pusher plate 140.
  • Piston rod 141a extends into a cylinder 141b and has a piston 141c thereon.
  • the upper endof cylinder 141b is connected to the uppermost portion-of a suitable archc of substantially inverted U-shaped form and whose legs are suitably secured, at their lower ends, to-opposite side portions of the substantially rectangular upper carriage frame 120b.
  • each successive increment of the pile yarns from the open lower end of container 60 is passed over cutting blade to progressively sever tufts T from the fed increment of pile yarn block 20b.
  • tufts T are being formed, they are progressively deposited on a forwardly moving adhesive-coated substrate or backing 142, advancing relative to yarn block 20b, to form the patterned pile fabric F.
  • the backing 142 may be in any desired pliable web form such as nonwoven, woven or knitted materials of natural or man-made fibers or combinations thereof.
  • the backing also may be in the form of a web of paper or synthetic plastic material, either solid or foraminate.
  • the pile yarns in block 20b may be of any desired material; e.g., natural, artificial and/or man-made fibers or yarns of any desired cross-sectional shape and size.
  • a backing guide means is provided for guiding the pliable backing or substrate 142 in an abruptly changing path converging forwardly and upwardly toward and into close proximity to the severing means or blade 135 and the path of the container 60.
  • a main or lower endless conveyor 143 is provided whose upper reach or run is supported on rollers 143a, 143b, 1430, and whose lower reach or run is supported on rollers 143d, 143e, 143f.
  • roller l43b is disposed on a substantially higher level than rollers 143a, 143C so that the upper run of conveyor 143 moves in an abruptly changing path converging forwardly and upwardly toward and into close proximity to cutting blade 135 and to the path of the container. Additionally, the upper run of conveyor 143 diverges downwardly and forwardly away from the severing means or cutting blade 135 and away from the substantially horizontal path of travel of container 60. For purposes of clarity, conveyor 143 is omitted in FIG. 9, although rollers 143a, 143b and 143C are shown in FIG. 9.
  • roller 1 43b also may be vertically adjusted to accommodate desired variations in the length of the tu-fts T to be formed during the severing of the lower ends of the pile yarns projecting from the container 60.
  • a suitable circulating hot oil or other hot fluid for example up to 220 centrigrade or higher for curing the adhesive on the backing.
  • a cooling platen or table 151 which may engage the lower surface of the upper run of conveyor 143 and is maintained at a relatively low temperature by a suitable circulating cold fluid, such as water. If water is used, for example, it may be circulated at slightly above freezing temperature. Since heating and cooling platens are generally well known in the textile finishing industry, a detailed illustration and description of the heating and cooling platens 150, 151 of FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 is deemed unnecessary.
  • the heated platen forms a drying and curing zone thereabove through which the pile fabric F is advanced from the severing means 135 for drying and curing the adhesive coating previously applied to the upper surface of backing 142. It follows, therefore, that heated platen must be of such length and must be heated to such a temperature as to dry the adhesive coating and cure the same so that the tufts T will be firmly anchored to the backing 142.
  • the cooling platen forms a cooling zone thereabove through which the pile fabric F passes for cooling the same to facilitate subsequent take-up and handling of the pile fabric.
  • backing advancing conveyor 143 is made of a metallic wire netting or mesh material. Conveyor 143 also may be made of a porous or foraminate pliable web material.
  • the tufts T and backing 142 are pressed together as they are being advanced forwardly from severing means 135 and while they are advancing through the drying and curing zone above heated platen 150.
  • an upper endless con-' veyor 152 cooperating with blade guide bar 135e (FIG. 12) serves as suitable means for pressing the cut pile tufts T against the upper surface of the backing 142 following the depositing of the tufts on the backing.
  • upper conveyor 152 is positioned above the upper run ofmain conveyor 143 and extends between the path of travel of container 60 and the upper surface DRIVE FOR CONVEYORS
  • An automatically operable electromagnetic clutch means 160 is interposed between the drive mechanism for the container-carriage and the conveyors 143, 152 for automatically imparting a step in forward movement to conveyors 143, 152 relative to container 60 at substantially the moment that the leading edge of the exposed lower end of the yarn block 20b engages the cutting blade 135.
  • the clutch means also is operated automatically to cut off the forward movement of the conveyors 143, 152, preferably at the moment that the trailing edge of the exposed portion of the yarn block 20b moves forwardly of the cutting edge of the blade 135.
  • the clutch means 160 is shown interposed between an output shaft 161 extending from motor 127 and an input shaft means 162 connected by suitable gearing 163, to the drive roller 153 of upper conveyor 152 (FIG. 11).
  • the shaft means 162 also is connected by suitable gearing 164, to one end of a shaft 166.
  • Shaft 166 extends downwardly substantially parallel with the upper reach of conveyor 143 and is drivingly connected to a pile fabric supporting roll 170 (FIGS. 10A and 14) having its periphery roughened, provided with spikes or covered with wire card clothing material or other suitable material to prevent roll 170 from slipping relative to pile fabric F.
  • a transmission mechanism 171 drivingly connects shaft 166 to the front end conveyor roller 1436 so that conveyors 143, 152 and roll 170 are driven whenever clutch means 160 is energized or activated.
  • Clutch means 160 may be provided with a suitable brake means, not shown, for stopping movement of conveyors 143, 152 and roll 170 immediately upon inactivation of clutch means 160.
  • BACKING FEED AND PILE FABRIC TAKE-UP Means are provided for permitting intermittent or periodic stepwise advancement of the backing 142 past cutting blade 135 and adjacent the path of yarn block 20b and container 60 without placing the backing 142 under undue or excessive strain and without the need for operating the pile fabric manufacturing apparatus 115 at an undesirably relatively slow speed. Accordingly, the backing 142 is continuously fed forwardly from a source of supply 142a (FIG. 10) while a substantial length of the backing 142 is being accumulated at a location forwardly of the source 142a, but rearwardly of the backing advancing conveyor 143. Thus, during each stepwise forward advancement of the backing 142 by conveyor 143, the backing is withdrawn forwardly from the accumulated length thereof instead of being withdrawn directly from the source 142a.
  • a length of the pile fabric F being formed on the backing advancing conveyor 143 is accumulated during advancement thereof at a location downstream of the cutting blade 135, and the fabric is continuously taken up downstream of the accumulated length of the pile fabric by withdrawing the pile fabric from the accumulated length thereof at a rate substantially in accord with the average length of the stepwise forward movements of the backing past the cutting blade 135.
  • the aforementioned pile fabric supporting roll 170 (FIG. 10A) is positioned adjacent a pit 172 in which a compensating catenary loop of the pile fabric is formed. From the pit 172, the pile fabric extends upwardly over another supporting roll 170a, past a pair of rotary edge-trimming or slitting blades 173 and thence to a take-up mechanism including a pair of rolls 174, 175 on which a roll 176 of the pile fabric F may be wound.
  • the slitting blades 173, of which only one is shown in FIG. 10A, may be driven by an electric motor 173a for removing any surplus or rough edge portions from the backing of the pile fabric F.
  • the take-up roll 175 may be driven by an electric motor 175a.
  • the output speed of motor 175a may be varied by a suitable, manually operable, variable speed control 175b, such as a rheostat or potentiometer.
  • the variable speed control 175b (FIG. 13) may be in the form of a separate, manually operable, speed variator or any well-known type interposed in driving connections between motor 175a and driven take-up roll 175 (FIG. 10A).
  • the source 142a of supply for the backing 142 is embodied in a let-off roll equipped with suitable tensioning or braking means, not shown.
  • the backing 142 successively passes over a plurality of rolls 142b-l42h, the roll 1420 serving as a support beneath a doctor-blade type of liquid adhesive applicator generally designated at 177.
  • the adhesive applicator 177 may be of any well-known type which will apply a thin coating of liquid adhesive of the desired thickness upon the upper surface of the backing 142 in its course from the supply source 142a to the 'main conveyor 143.
  • the adhesive may be of any suitable type which will firmly bond the tufts T and backing 142 together.
  • the thickness of the liquid adhesive coating may be in the range of about O.l to 1.0 mm or more depending upon the types of backing and pile yarns used in forming the pile fabric F.
  • Acrylic and polyvinyl acetate-acrylic copolymers, polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane, urea resin, melaminic resin, latex and the like are non-limiting examples of adhesive materials which may be used for bonding the tufts T to the backing.
  • the front supporting roll l42h for the backing being fed should have a spiked, knurled or clothing-covered peripheral surface similar to roll 170.
  • Roll 142h is positioned above a pit 180 in which a compensating catenary loop of thebacking 142 is formed as a length of the backing accumulates between the supporting roll l42h and the conveyor 143.
  • backing 142 passes from pit 180 upwardly over the rearmost of the supporting rollers 143a which supports the rear portion of the upper reach of main conveyor 143.
  • Supporting roll 142h normally is driven continuously by an electric motor 181 whose speed may be varied by a manually operable variable speed control 181a similar to the variable speed control 17512 (FIG. 13).
  • the supporting let-off roll 142h may be driven con-tinously, and the take-up roll 176 also may be driven'continuously at a rate in accord with the average rate of the stepwise forward movements of the backing 142 past cutting blade 135.
  • the catenary loops formed of the backing 142 and the completed fabric F in the respective pits 180, 172 permit the forward stepwise movements of the conveyors 143, 152 and the portions of the backing and pile fabric engaged thereby.
  • a suitable variable speed mechanism or speed variator 190 is operatively connected to the backing advancing means for varying the rate of advancement of backing 142 relative to the rate of forward movement of container 60 to thereby vary the density of the tufts as they are deposited onto the backing. More particularly, it will be observed in FIGS. 10 and 11 that a speed variator 190 is interposed in the shaft means 162 between clutch and the gearing 163 for the upper conveyor 152.
  • the speed variator 190 may be manually adjusted, or any suitable pattern controlled means, not shown, may be provided for adjusting the speed variator, in order to vary the forward speed of the conveyor 143, 152 and roll whenever the clutch 160 is activated so as to thereby vary the density of the tufts as they are being deposited onto the backing 142.
  • a liquid adhesive is applied to the lower end of the pile yarn block 20b projecting from container 60 to thereby further aid in insuring that the tufts to be formed subsequently are firmly secured to the adhesive-coated upper surface of backing 142.
  • a suitable roller type of adhesive applicator 200 is suitably supported so that the upper surface of the roller thereof will wipe against the lower surfaces of the pile yarns projecting from the container 60 in the course of each forward movement of container 60.
  • the roller type of adhesive applicator 200 may be positioned in contact with a suitable supply 201 of liquid adhesive. Since such adhesive applicators are well known in the art, a more detailed description thereof is deemed unnecessary.
  • the container carriage 120 engages and changes the state of a rear limit switch 210 to open a normally closed contact set 210a and to close a normally open contact set 210b.
  • the flow of current to the coil of a previously energized motor reversing relay 211 is interrupted so that the state of the contact sets thereof is as illustrated in FIG. 13 and the forward winding of reversible motor 127 thus is energized.
  • a suitable manually adjustable timing device 212 which may include electromagnetic means for changing the state of two contact sets 212a, 212b. This interrupts the flow of current to a solenoid 213 while establishing a flow of current through a solenoid 214.
  • Solenoids 213, 214 are operatively associated with a solenoid valve 215 and may be arranged so that, when solenoid 214 is energized, a regulated amount of hydraulic fluid will flow from a suitable pressurized source 216 through valve 215 and through a manually operable valve 217, to the upper end of cylinder 141b of ram 141.
  • valve 215 is closed quickly to interrupt the flow of fluid from source 216 to the upper end of cylinder 141b.
  • the timing device 212 is adapted to be manually adjusted so that precisely the desired amount of fluid will flow from the source 216 to the upper end of cylinder 141b to cause the pusher plate 140 to feed the pile yarns in the container parallel to their axes from the container in an increment of an amount equal to the desired length of pile.
  • the length of successive tufts T may be varied by utilizing the timing device 212 to adjust the extent of the successive increments of feeding of the pile yarns from container 60 and also by adjusting the supporting roll 143b for main conveyor 143 so that the current blade 135 will sever the pile yarns the desired distance above the lowermost ends thereof and the low- ,ermost ends of the pile yarns will'be properly received upon the adhesivecoated-surface of the backing 142.
  • valve 221 Upon interruption of the current flowing to solenoid valve 221, valve 221 is closed to interrupt the flow of fluid pressure from a source 222 to a plurality of fluidoperated lifting devices shown in the form of rams 223.
  • rams 2223 One of each of the rams 223 is disposed adjacent each of the four corners of container carriage 120, with the cylinders of the rams 223 being secured to the lower carriage frame 120a.
  • the plungers or piston rods of the rams 223 project upwardly and engage the lower surfaces of respective projections 224 extending outwardly from the four corners of the upper carriage frame 120b.
  • valve 221 when valve 221 is open, rams 223 are subjected to fluid pressure from source 222 and thus raise the upper carriage frame 120b, the container and yarn block 20b relative to lower carriage frame a. This facilitates the rearward movement of container 60 following the severing of a set or slice of tufts from the pile yarn block 20b so that the lower surface of the pile yarn block will not rub against the blade in the course of the rearward movement thereof. It follows that, when the circuit to relay 220 was interrupted by the operation of switch 210 by container carriage 120, the consequent exhaust of fluid pressure from rams 223 permits the upper carriage frame 12012 to return to its lowest position resting upon lower carriage frame 120a so that container 60 then occupies its normal operating level.
  • switch 210 provides means responsive to predetermined rearward movement of container 60 rearwardly of cutting blade 135 for (a) reversing the direction of movement of container 60, (b) feeding a predetermined increment of the pile yarn block 20b downwardly from the open lower end of container 60, and (c) lowering the container 60 and the yarn block 20b from an abnormal raised position to a normal lowered position.
  • a coating of liquid adhesive from the source 201 is applied to the lower ends of the pile yarns in the block 20b by the applicator roll 200 as the yarn block passes thereover.
  • a switch actuating abutment 120d (FIGS. 9 and 10) projecting outwardly from upper carriage frame 120b engages and momentarily closes a conveyor starter switch 225.
  • starter switch 225 may be mounted on one of the tracks 122 so as to be engaged by abutment 120d during the forward movement of carriage 120.
  • abutment 120d will pass above the feeler of switch 225 during the course of the subsequent rearward movement of carriage 120 because'the upper rectangular carriage frame 120b is elevated relative to lower carriage frame 120 duringirearward movement thereof.
  • clutch 160 is activated to start driving the conveyors 143, 152 at the moment of, or immediately prior to, the leading edge of the pile yarn block 20b engaging the cutting edge of blade 135.
  • the upper reach of cutting blade 135 is maintained in a predetermined position relative to the forward path of travel of container 60 by engagement of the blade 135 with the rigid guide plate 135a (FIG. 12). Additionally, it will be noted that plate 135s extends downwardly and forwardly in substantially parallel relation to the upper surface of the forward portion of main conveyor 143, thus aiding in properly positioning the successive tufts T on the adhesive-coated surface of the backing 142 as they approach the secondary or upper conveyor 152.
  • Conveyor 152 also aids in maintaining the previously cut tufts T in substantially upright positions as they are held against the upper surface of the backing 142 during the heating, curing and cooling of the adhesive material thereon by the heating and cooling platens 150, 151 beneath the upper reach of main conveyor 143.
  • the trailing wall 42 of container 60 has a suitable elongate recessed back-up bar or shield member 227 suitably secured to the lower edge thereof whose recess 227a is open at the forward edge of bar 227 and is aligned with cuttingblade 135.
  • recess 227a receives the rear edge portion of cutting blade 135 therein as container 60 reaches the end of its forward stroke to ensure that the ends of the trailing pile yarns in block 20b are cleanly severed by blade 135 as the tufts formed thereof are deposited upon the adhesive-coated backing 142.
  • the reversible motor 127 may be equipped'with conventional braking means, not shown, so'that it will respond quickly to changes in the flow of current therethrough.
  • a right-hand or forward limit switch 230 (FIGS.
  • the opening of contact set 230c of switch 230 breaks the flow of-current to the coil of relay 226, thus interrupting the flow of current to clutch 160 and stopping further forward movement of the conveyors 143, 152 and roll 170 (FIGS. 10 and 10A).
  • the momentary closing of contact set 2300 as effected by engagement of switch 230 by the carriage 120, closes a circuit to a suitable time delay mechanism 233 (FIG. 13) which is of a well-known type including a condenser C and a resistor R which function in a well known manner to energize the coil of relay 220 upon the circuit to relay 233 being subsequently broken by the release of limit switch 230.
  • limit switch 230 is released as motor 127 causes carriage to start to move from right to left or rearwardly in FIGS. 9, 10 and 11.
  • the back-up bar 227 moves rearwardly of the rear edge of cutting blade 135.
  • the energization of the solenoid valve 221 is effected to, in turn, elevate the container 60 and yarn block 20b in the manner heretofore described.
  • container 60, yarn block 201) and carriage 120 then return to the rearmost position in the path of travel thereof to complete a cycle in the operation of the apparatus of FIGS. 9-14 and to initiate a succeeding cycle in the op eration thereof.
  • the operation of the pile fabric manufacturing apparatus 115 may be repeated as many times as desired for obtaining any desired continuous length of pile fabric.
  • the size of the pile yarn block 20b when measured parallel to the direction of forward and rearward movements thereof, may be equal to the desired length of a carpet or rug.
  • the extent of carpet formed by one movement of the yarn block 20b past the cutting blade 135 may be spaced from a succeeding length of carpet formed by a succeeding movement of the yarn block past the cutting blade simply by providing a suitable manually adjustable relay mechanism or any other suitable means for extending the intervals of operation of the conveyors 143, 152 after the yarn block 20b has moved ahead of the cutting blade 135.
  • manually operable valve 217 in the upper portion of FIG. 13 may be operated to return the pusher plate to a raised position relative to container 60.
  • the timing device 212 may be manually adjusted to permit a continuous flow of fluid from the source 2.16 through valves 215, 217 to the lower end of cylinder 14lb to elevate the pusher plate 140 in the manner described.
  • valve 217 may be closed, the conduits extending therefrom to cylinder 141b may be removed from cylinder 141b and a suitable hoisting mechanism then may be employed for lifting the container 60, with the upper carriage frame 120b, upwardly away from lower carriage frame 120a.
  • the arch 120e, ram 141, pusher plate 140 and upper carriage frame 120b then may be removed from the corresponding container 60 and mounted on a fresh filled container 60 so that the fresh container 60 may be positioned in the lower carriage frame 120a preparatory to the manufacture of pile fabric from the pile yarn block therein in the manner heretofore described.
  • thermoplastic pile yarns in the block 20b high density pile fabrics may be manufactured by heat-fusing the lower ends of the pile yarns together or to a substrate of thermoplastic material.
  • a modified form of pile fabric manufacturing apparatus 115' is shown in FIG. wherein, instead of utilizing an adhesive applicator such as that indicated at 200 in FIG. 10, a suitable heating device 250 is employed which is positioned closely adjacent and upstream of the cutting blade or severing means and immediately below the forward path of travel of the pile yarn block.
  • the apparatus 115 shown in FIG. 15 may be identical to that shown in FIGS. 9-14 and, therefore, the parts shown in FIG. 15 will bear the same reference characters as those applied to like parts shown in FIGS. 9-14, where applicable.
  • the heating device 250 may be in the form of an infrared ray heat-radiating medium or heater having infrared lamps 251 therein which are spaced closely beneath the forward path of travel of the pile yarn block b, an increment of which had been previously discharged from the open lower end of container 60 in the manner heretofore described.
  • the lower surface of the yarn block 20b is melted to cause the lower ends of adjacent pile yarns therein to adhere to one another, whereupon cutting blade 135 severs the pile tufts from the lower end of the block 20b'and deposits the same onto the upper surface of the backing 142.
  • the backing 142 need not have been coated with a liquid adhesive. In fact, if backing 142 is partially or entirely of a thermoplastic material, the.
  • thermoplastic material 252a forming the anchoring layer may be formed, in part, from the backing 142.
  • FIG. 17 there is shown a portion of a pile fabric 253 which may be identical to the pile fabric 252 with the exception that, instead of the lower ends of the pile tufts T" thereof being fused or otherwise secured to a substrate or backing, such backing is omitted and the lower ends of pile tufts T" are simply fused together by the supporting anchoring layer 253a of previously melted thermoplastic material.
  • the apparatus shown in FIG. 15 may be constructed and operated in the same manner as that described for the pile fabric manufacturing apparatus 115 shown in FIGS. 9-14. Therefore, a further description of the apparatus 115' shown in FIG. 15 is deemed unnecessary.
  • a method of making pile fabrics such as carpets, rugs and the like from a block of substantially parallel pile yarns in an open-ended container which comprises incrementally feeding the pile yarns parallel to their axes from the container in successive increments of an amount equal to the desired length of pile, progressively severing the pile yarns transversely of their axes following each successive incremental feeding of the pile yarns from the container while progressively depositing the severed pile yarns onto an adhesive-coated backing to connect the severed pile yarns to the backing, and while advancing the backing relative to the block of pile yarns.
  • a method according to claim 1 including the steps of drying and curing the adhesive on the adhesivecoated backing while pressing the deposited pile yarns and the backing together to aid in connecting the deposited pile yarns and the backing together.
  • a method according to claim 1,' which includes moving the block of pile yarns over the backing and over a stationarily mounted severing means in the same general direction as that in which the backing is being advanced during the severing of the pile yarns and the depositing of the severed pile yarns onto the backing.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Treatment Of Fiber Materials (AREA)
  • Woven Fabrics (AREA)
  • Nonwoven Fabrics (AREA)
  • Carpets (AREA)
  • Laminated Bodies (AREA)
US00363832A 1969-07-24 1973-05-25 Method and apparatus for making pile fabrics from a block of pile yarns Expired - Lifetime US3847692A (en)

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IT2010069 1969-07-24
IT2574469 1969-12-13

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US3943028A (en) * 1974-06-03 1976-03-09 Davis Donald Mackinnon Apparatus and process for manufacturing non-woven textile pile
US3957555A (en) * 1969-07-24 1976-05-18 Fieldcrest Mills, Inc. Method of making pile fabric having an adhesive substrate
US4066487A (en) * 1976-05-10 1978-01-03 Beelien Cornelis W Method and device for making a non-woven pile web
US4190480A (en) * 1976-12-20 1980-02-26 Ebert Edward A Support for deformable articles and method of making the same
US5616200A (en) * 1992-10-23 1997-04-01 Interface, Inc. I-bond method for making fusion-bonded carpet
EP0791455A3 (de) * 1995-12-21 1998-05-13 Ruedi Reinhard Verfahren zum kontinuierlichen Herstellen eines Teppichs
US10508372B2 (en) * 2017-01-05 2019-12-17 Columbia Insurance Company Systems and methods for applying tension to backing materials for tufted products
FR3083806A1 (fr) * 2018-07-16 2020-01-17 Faurecia Automotive Industrie Procede de formation d'une couche fibreuse pour une piece d'equipement de vehicule automobile, installation et piece d'equipement associees

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DE3025143C2 (de) * 1979-07-04 1995-03-23 Sanquhar Tile Services Ltd Verfahren zur Herstellung von Teppichfliesen
US5443881A (en) * 1989-12-27 1995-08-22 Milliken Research Corporation Heat stabilized pile fabric
US5370757A (en) * 1991-08-30 1994-12-06 Basf Corporation Process for manufacturing substantially 100% nylon 6 carpet
WO1996015302A1 (en) * 1994-11-14 1996-05-23 Interface, Inc. Fusion-bonded carpet system and method of preparation
US6264775B1 (en) * 1998-12-22 2001-07-24 Bayer Antwerp N.V. Face-up coating of carpet backs with polyurethane
US6955772B2 (en) * 2001-03-29 2005-10-18 Agfa-Gevaert Aqueous composition containing a polymer or copolymer of a 3,4-dialkoxythiophene and a non-newtonian binder
US6890584B2 (en) * 2000-06-28 2005-05-10 Agfa-Gevaert Flexographic ink containing a polymer or copolymer of a 3,4-dialkoxythiophene
US7517426B2 (en) * 2004-03-05 2009-04-14 Tajima Incorporated Sheet material, a block like sheet material, a method for producing a sheet material, a method for separating and retrieving a fiber fabrication layer unit and a backing layer from a tile carpet
DE102010004205B4 (de) * 2010-01-08 2012-11-08 Fecken-Kirfel Gmbh & Co. Kg Vorrichtung und Verfahren zum Spalten von Schaumstoffkörpern

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US3957555A (en) * 1969-07-24 1976-05-18 Fieldcrest Mills, Inc. Method of making pile fabric having an adhesive substrate
US3943028A (en) * 1974-06-03 1976-03-09 Davis Donald Mackinnon Apparatus and process for manufacturing non-woven textile pile
US4066487A (en) * 1976-05-10 1978-01-03 Beelien Cornelis W Method and device for making a non-woven pile web
US4190480A (en) * 1976-12-20 1980-02-26 Ebert Edward A Support for deformable articles and method of making the same
US5616200A (en) * 1992-10-23 1997-04-01 Interface, Inc. I-bond method for making fusion-bonded carpet
US5616210A (en) * 1992-10-23 1997-04-01 Interface, Inc. Fusion-bonded carpet system
US5693400A (en) * 1992-10-23 1997-12-02 Interface, Inc. Fusion-bonded carpet
EP0791455A3 (de) * 1995-12-21 1998-05-13 Ruedi Reinhard Verfahren zum kontinuierlichen Herstellen eines Teppichs
US10508372B2 (en) * 2017-01-05 2019-12-17 Columbia Insurance Company Systems and methods for applying tension to backing materials for tufted products
FR3083806A1 (fr) * 2018-07-16 2020-01-17 Faurecia Automotive Industrie Procede de formation d'une couche fibreuse pour une piece d'equipement de vehicule automobile, installation et piece d'equipement associees

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CH1117970A4 (nl) 1974-08-30
BE753765A (fr) 1970-12-31
CA932257A (en) 1973-08-21
DE2035967C3 (de) 1978-12-07
CH560787A (nl) 1975-04-15
JPS5020631B1 (nl) 1975-07-16
FR2053124A1 (nl) 1971-04-16
FR2053124B1 (nl) 1973-12-07
DE2035967B2 (de) 1978-04-13
GB1306837A (en) 1973-02-14
DE2035967A1 (de) 1971-02-04
US3957555A (en) 1976-05-18
NL7010912A (nl) 1971-01-26
NL157954B (nl) 1978-09-15

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